Hydrocarbon-gas stove



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ADELBERT M. BRAINARD, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

HYDROCARBON-GAS STOVE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 243,495, dated June 28, 1881.

' Application filed Marchlll, 1881. (No model),

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ADELBERT M. BRAINARD, of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hydrocarbon Gas Stoves; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to the gas or vapor generating and burning devices of hydrocarbon-gas stoves or heaters.

Among the objects of my invention are the following:

First, to provide a construction whereby, if desired, the initial generator-heater, adapted in form to retain a liquid aswell as to emit a gas, may be kept in continuous operation, and the generator therefore constant-1y hot, in or der that the main burner maybe supplied with gas and ignited at any time without delay. To this end the cup-formed initial heater has its supply-duct independent of that to the main burner.

Second,to more perfectly secure the ignition of gas within the burner-tube; and for this purpose it consists in a burner-tube, through which the vapor rises to the point of ignition, provided with an enlargement and apertures near its upper end, and preferably with a register near the bottom of the tube, by which the quantity of atmospheric air mixed with the vapor is regulated at will.

\ Other objects are also had in view, as will further appear; and the invention further-consists in the several features of construction not above mentioned, which, together with the foregoing, will be hereinafter more fully set forth, and pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 represents the devices concerned in my invention applied to a gas-stove top in central vertical section transverse to the stove-top. Fig. 2 is a top view of a gasstove having my invention applied thereto;

The same letter indicates the same part in both figures of the drawings.

A represents the top or table of a hydrocarbon gas or vapor stove of the usual constructionthat is to say, of cast-iron, supported ata convenient height by suitable legs of the same material.

B is a cupped plate of metal, filling the stovehole, and centrally depressed and apertured to receive the burner.

O is a burner-tube, from the open top of which the flame proceeds at or below the level of the top A.

D is a grate, of any suitable construction, having its upper surface flush with or, preferaably, elevated a little above the surface of the top A.

E E is a disk of metal, here shown in two parts, each fitted to slide on the central bars of the grate, so that they may be brought together over the burner, or separated to allow the flame from the burner to directly impinge against the vessel to be heated.

F is a deep cup depending from, and, atits top, opening through the dished or concave plate B. In this cup the initial generator G is a lateral arm of G,'supporting' the burner-tube O, and apertured to lead the gas thereto from the appropriate passage in G.

H is the generator supported at the upper end of the standard G, and I is-the initial I generator-heater secured to said standard beneath the generator H. The standard G connects at its lower end with the pipe G leadin g from the source of general liquid-hydrocarhon supply. (Nothere shown.) As here illustrated, the standard G, with its lateral arm G is a single piece or casting provided with an annular shoulder, g, which bears upward against the apertured bottom of the cup F. Above the latter the initial heater casting I is threaded on the standard G, thereby possibly sustaining the weight of the various parts connected therewith. At the top the generator-bulb H is also screwed to the standard, and the burner-tube O is similarly screwed to the vertical end of the arm G The several passages in G and G are small, and are preferably, as here shown, drilled in the solid metal. The passage J opens at its lower end into the supply-tube G. At its upper end it is deflected in a horizontal direction to the surface of the standard or stem G, whence, reduced to small diameter, it continues to the interior base of the generator-bulb H. The reduced portion of the passage entering the bulb His marked h. In the horizontal portion said passage is closed by a pressure-valve, H threaded into a suitable projectionlon the bulb casting. At a point covered by the casting I saidpassage Jis tapped byanotherlateralopening,j, communicating through passage 2' with the small annular chamber 1, formed in casting I about the stem G. The lateral outletj so provided is closed by the pressure-valve 1 A wire, J, relativelymuch larger than shown, nearly fills the passage J from the valve 1 downward, for the usual purpose of restricting the flowot' liquid through the same,a smaller passage being desirable than can be conveniently made. The upper end of the casting I is broadened, as shown, to present a wide top surface, and said surface is preferably slightly dished, to retain a shallow body of liquid therein. Liquid admitted to the chamber I escapes upward about the stem G to said surface through the passage 41.

It is evident from the construction shown and described that the initial heater I may be kept in operation for any desired length of time, and at anydesired degree ot'force, equally when the generator H is being supplied and when it is not, since the supply to said heater 1 maybe perfectly controlled by the independent valve 1 The gas-outlet h from the generator to the main burner O is arranged to take from the upper part of the generator-chamber by the insertion of the small tube H in upward continuation of the passage h. By this means, should the cook 11 be opened before: the generator is hot enough to vaporize the hydrocarbon liquid thereby admitted at the bottom of the generator, said liquid will not issue at the burner, but will be retained in the generator-chamber, as shown. Of course, if the cock H were, under these circumstances, left open long enough, the liquid would at length rise to the top of the tube H, and would then flow out to the burner; but the failure of gas at the main burner immediately on opening the cock H perfectly indicates that the generator is not hot enough for its purpose, whereupon said cock should be at once closed. Meantime the flame at Iis not discontinued in thus testing the main burner. When the liquid admitted in this experiment to the generator is vaporized it will be ignited at the burner from theneighboringinitial heater-flame, showing that the generator is now hot enough for work, and the cock H may then be reopened with impunity.

The generator being in range of the flame from the main burner when the latter is in use, the cock I may be closed off wholly or partially, as preferred. It is, as already stated,

one of the advantages ofthe construction shown that a flame may be maintained at I, so that the generator may be kept constantly hot when the main burner is not in use. Then, when said main flame is wanted, all that is necessary to produce it is to open the cock 11*. A very small continuous flame at I is found suflicient to keep the generator hot enough for its purpose, and, in fact, the stem G is itself so heated by a very minute continuous flame at I that vapor and not liquid soon constitutes the sup ply of such flame, making the same steady, safe, and reliable. Being protected by the surrounding shield F, such a flame may be indefinitely kept at I, and the main burner therefore ready for instant ignition, without either the delay, danger, or inconvenience which attends the starting of this class of stove-burners as heretofore constructed.

When, in the continued use of either the main or initial heater, the steam G becomes heated, as described, so as to generate vapor in the passage J below the valve 1 or below the valve H said sleeve may be said to be the generator, and the chamber of the bulb H becomes nothing more than a part of the passage from the point of generation to the burner.

Besides serving to protect a minute flame at I, as described, the shield F also serves to direct the flame of the initial generator-heater, when in full force, more steadily against the generator, and thereby greatly hastens the heating thereof.

It is plain that entirely separate passages may be provided for the supply of generator H and the initial generator-heater I in place of the single passage J, and that they may be in separate tubes or stems, instead of in the single stem G. The gas-educt It may also be in a separate tube wholly removed from the heater 1. The construction shown has certain advantages, however, particularly in being less subject to leaks or other disorders, and because the single stem'G forms a rigid and stable standard for the attachment and support of the various parts therewith connected.

The screw 9 is for the purpose of plugging a hole necessarily made in drilling the horizontal portion of the passage h,- but it may be extended, tapered, and threaded to form a pressure-cock closing said passage, if desired.

Other modifications in the form and arran gement of the parts may obviously be made without departure from my invention.

The main burner or burner proper consists of a vertical tube, 0, about four inches long, supported from the arm G through which it receives the gas or vapor from the generator. The lower end of the tube has the enlargement 0, having several apertures, cc, and provided with the sliding register 0 by which the openings c 0 may be more or less closed at pleasure.

At its upper end the tube 0 has a second series of lateral apertures, c c, and is-open broadly at the top. By means of the register at the bottom of the tube a due quantity of atmospheric air is admitted to mingle with the hydrocarbon vapor as the latter rises through the tube. The effect of the laterally-apertured enlargement G at the upper end of the tube appears to be to so far reduce the violence of the draft (in great degree, probably, by the admission of air through the openings 0) that ignition takes place within the tube and the flame emerges in a compact body through the open top. As a consequence the flame is less liable to be blown out or to fluctuate from the action of air-currents, and it is also far less noisy. Emerging in a compact volume directly upward against the article being heated the flame is, moreover, spread in an even sheet beneath the bottom of the vessel, and is more effective than that produced from the ordinary perforated cap-burner, wherein the flame has the form of numerous jets ignited outside the cap and horizontally directed.

The plate B is practically continuous from the burner-tube G to the margin of the stovehole, from which it is suspended. Its efi'ectis to retain the heat beneath the vessel and to prevent an upward draft of cold air against any part of the vessel-bottom. Several openings, I), admit a small quantity of air sufficient to re-enforce the flame.

The plate B may obviously be cast with the stove-top, and the enlarged top (3' of the tube 0 will in that case be made separate from and to screw on the lower portion.

The disk E is intended to stand over the burner G to deflect the flame in the absence of a vessel to be heated. It is here shown as being made in halves, and each half is fitted to slide outward and inward on the two central bars of the grate D, which are'made lower than the outer bars by the thickness of the disk E. Flanges e, on the under face of the disk parts, serve to hold said parts in place on the grate-bars, and a stop, 0, arrests the parts in place over the burner.

When a vessel is to be set over the flame the part; of the disksare moved to either side, and are returned to the center when the vessel is removed, unless it is preferred to cut off the flame by the cock H The walls of the cup F may be cast continuous with the plate B, or made separately and secured to said plate by a marginal flange and rivets, as here shown.

I am aware that a self-generating gas-burner for illuminating purposes has been provided with an auxiliary burner protected by a shield; but such auxiliary burner, being unadapted to burn liquid as well as gas, is not an initial burner in the sense of that term as herein used, and is not my invention. The shield, moreover, being constructed to cover the flame of the auxiliary burner, would not allow the main burner to be ignited therefrom, as herein described.

I claim as my invention- 1. In a hydrocarbon-gas heater, the combination, with a generator having a gas-outlet to the burner and an inlet from the source of liquid-hydrocarbon supply, of an initial generator-heater, suited to burn liquid or gas, having a valved inlet from the source of hydrocarbon-supply, independent of that leading to the generator or to the main burner, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. In a hydrocarbon-gas stove or heater, the combination, with a generator having a gasoutlet to the burner, an inlet from the source of hydrocarbon-supply, and a valve controlling the gas-supply to the burner, of an initial generator-heater, suited to burn liquid or gas, having a hydrocarbon-supply duct, independent of that leading to the generator, and a valve controlling said supply-duct, substantially as described, and for the purposes set forth.

3. In a hydrocarbon-gas stove, the combination, with the generator, the initial generatorheater, suitedto burn liquid or gas, and the main burner, of a shield laterally surrounding the initial heater and broadly open at the top, whereby the flame of said initial heater is protected and may ignite the adjacent main burner, exterior to the shield, substantially as described.

4. The combination, in a hydrocarbon-gas stove, of a main burner, a generator, and an initial heater placed in proximity to both the generator and main burner, andhaving unin: terrupted flame communication therewith, substantially as described.

5. The open-topped burner-tube G of a hydrocarbon-gas stove, connected to receive the gas at the bottom, and provided with the enlargement G and the air-inlets 0' at or near the top, substantially as described, and for the purposes specified.

6. In a hydrocarbon-gas stove, the combination, with a main burner, a generator connected to supply gas to and arranged to be heated from said burner, an initial generator-heater adapted to be operated independently of the main burner, and a plate,B,having a cup, F, in which the initial generator-heater isarranged, substantially as described.

7. In combination with the grate-bars D, the deflecting-plate E, supported by and arranged to slideon said bars, substantially as described. v

S. In a hydrocarbon-gas stove or heater, the unitary structure consisting of the standard G, the chambered bulb or generator H at the top, the generator-heater I beneath the bulb, the lateral arm G and the burner C, said standard and arm being apertured to give the several connections shown, and the generator and its initial heater being provided with separate valves H and I substantially as de scribed.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ADELBERT M. BRAINARD.

'VVitnesses:

M. E. DAYTON. W. O. ADAMS. 

